Title: You Can Never Escape Your Past
Spoiler: This story is a continuation of Viva Las Vegas.
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer I have nothing to do with The Agency and receive no
compensation

Since Stiles and Terri are now secretly married. I've changed some of the scenes to have it play out a little different. This part takes place during Soft Kills. I wasn't really crazy about this episode so I had to add the Terri/Stiles moments.

Chapter 12

Word had just come down that wives of soldiers in Afghanistan were being murdered on bases in the US. This bothered Stiles more than expected, he didn't like the fact that soldier's families were being targeted. Terri could tell something was really bothering him as she sat across from him at the meeting.

One of the wives shot her assailant and they matched the blood to the finger they found from one of the terrorists killed in Afghanistan. They figured out they were twins. They went to meet with him in a hospital, Agent Shelton met with Stiles and Quinn who went into question him. The man wasn't talking. Quinn and Stiles egged him on about his brother. "I'm sorry about your brother, he died in a cave."

Stiles jumped in "Like a man fighting other men."

Quinn looked at him "Not like a worthless coward."

Stiles continued, "Killing women and children."

A nurse came into change the IV. The man told them that it didn't matter if they killed him another would follow, and then another. All of a sudden he began to tell him that he got the list from a friend.

Shelton wanted to know what happened in there, "Why did he get so chatty all of a sudden?"

"Sodium pentothal."

A doctor came in with an x-ray of his stomach. In it was a key. The doctor said it would make its way out in a few days. Quinn asked. "How many other women will be dead by then?" Quinn wanted them to remove the key now.

Shelton came up with an idea. They could send down a scope and get a picture of the key and maybe a serial number. The doctor agreed to this.

Lex, Terri and Joshua looked at the film from the scope on the computer to find the key. They were able to find out the key was to a storage place. Agent Shelton and Stiles headed to the storage, they found out that is where he was living. In his copy of the Koran, Shelton found a list of names and address.

Stiles went back to OTS to have Terri and Joshua look at the list. Stiles was very tense about this case. It hit very close to home for him. He grew up on military bases. He always believed it was a safe place to live, as he was sure these families felt. Terri could see something was bothering him, but now wasn't the time to talk about it.

Terri was analyzing the list. She could tell by his voice how upset Stiles was. Stiles leaned on the table and watched Terri very closely. Terri and Joshua talked it through. "The ink is from a Bic pen. One of 500 million."

"Paper?"

"50 rag , 84 brightness. One of a billion." Stiles rolled his eyes thinking this is hopeless, but Terri kept on going. "Handwriting is rounded, very fluent. Stretch ligatures."

"Overlaps? and letter shape?"

"Contact sensitive."

Joshua looked at Terri and then Stiles, he wanted to see his reaction. "Conclusion, Miss Lowell."

"Written by somebody who learned how to write Arabic before English."

Stiles looked at her very confused. "You can tell that?" Terri looked at him.

Joshua asked "What part of stretch ligature and contact sensitive letter shape don't you understand?"

Stiles smiled at Terri. "Right."

Joshua said. "Look there are 8 names but in front of Walder it says ten."

Terri looked up. Stiles knew that look, "What Terri?"

"Ten is short for teniente, Spanish for lieutenant." If they weren't in the middle of OTS in front of Joshua he would have kissed his brilliant wife. He smiled at her. That smile made Terri feel good, she knew he was proud of her.

It turned out to be a list of men from a Nato Anti Terrorist force, which was being organized by the Spanish Ministry of Defense. Quinn wanted to send a team to Madrid, another Army wife was attacked, it was not one on the list. They could only assume they had other lists and others murderers out there. Stiles, Terri and Lex would be going to Madrid. They would leave in the morning.

Stiles and Terri headed home to pack. Stiles was a little quiet. Terri wanted him to open up to her, but knew he had to do it on his own terms "Stiles, are you ok?"

He looked up at her and smiled. "I was just thinking about what a lucky man I am." she looked at him, not knowing what he was talking about. "To have the most beautiful, smart, funny and wonderful wife in the world."

"Flattery will get you whatever you want Mr. Stiles." Terri walked over and kissed him.

"Did I remember beautiful?" Terri laughed. "I can't believe how you figured all of that stuff out today. I wanted to grab you and kiss you in front of everyone and yell 'Hey that's my wife' I was and am so proud of you."

"Stiles." Terri looked down embarrassed. "Stop that."

"It's true. I don't know what I would do without you. If anything happened to you. I don't think I could handle that."

"What's this about?"

"Being in love." he said with a smile. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck. "Let's finish packing and go to bed. For the next several days, its going to be mission mode."

They finished packing, Terri understood what mission mode meant. They were not a couple, they were not in love, and most definitely not married. They both hated it, but it was how it had to be. They had to be careful so no one would suspect their secret.

Terri, Lex and Stiles arrived in Madrid. They set up the bugs in all of the offices of anyone that had access to that list of soldiers.

Lex came back with the food, they buzzed him into the room. "I come bearing Tappas."

"What did you do go sightseeing on the way?" Stiles snapped at Lex, as he took the bags from him.

Terri looked at Stiles, then Lex. "Glad you're hear you know how some people get cranky when they're hungry." Stiles looked at her and couldn't help but smile, he realized he was being a jerk.

"Sorry Lex."

"No problemo. But this is Spain, you go into a restaurant and order, they give you what they want when they want." Terri chuckled. Stiles just walked over to a desk and started eating.

The chief of station walked in he didn't like that the CIA was spying on its allies. "This is a disaster waiting to happen."

Stiles was mad. "This is a disaster that already happened. We got soldiers in the butt end of the world, living in snow, eating sand just trying to do their jobs. while worrying about incoming artillery, suicide bombers, and trying to find a place to take leak, where they won't get their heads blown off!" He stopped eating and threw his fork down on his plate. Terri looked up at him. He never really talked about his time in the marines. She knew that he knew these things first hand. She wanted to go put her arms around him but knew that she could just hope he knew how she felt. "They don't need to be worrying about the safety of their families back home." Stiles threw his napkin down also. He no longer felt like eating.

"I know, but what if security sweeps find our devices."

Lex could also feel for his friend. Lex couldn't imagine the things Stiles was talking about. "Won't happen. The bugs are well hidden."

"Biggest surveillance mission since the cold war and its against an ally."

Terri looked at him. "Langley signed off on it." She couldn't believe this jerk could still question the importance of what they were doing, after what Stiles said.

Stiles looked at his wife and his best friend. He knew that they understood. Terri looked at him and smiled. He was so happy he had her. He wished they had some time alone. He knew she had questions, and he never talked to her about his days in the Marines.

Quinn called and told him the President ordered them to cease all operations in Spain. Stiles was not happy he couldn't believe they were going to back down. What about those women and children on the bases that were not safe? What about those men who are now finding out about the danger their families are in? Stiles took a deep breath and calmed down, "What about the listening devices?"

"Going in to remove them would be an operation wouldn't it?"

Stiles smiled. Quinn could be such a jerk sometimes but at times like these you could really appreciate his genius. "And monitoring them?"

"Mr. Haisley's group isn't in Spain. They'll continue listening from here. Madrid is a fascinating city. Why don't you do some sightseeing?" After Quinn hung up he filled Lex and Terri in on what was going on. Lex, looked at his two friends. He could tell in their eyes that they needed to talk. Lex made an excuse to leave the room to give Terri and Stiles a minute alone.

Terri walked up to stiles and smiled. She put her arms around his neck. "Stiles, Thank you."

"For what?" Stiles couldn't imagine what she was talking about, but was happy to be close to her, he put his hands on her waist.

"Your speech back there about the soldiers. Thank you for all you did for us while you were in the Marines. I get the feeling we don't thank our soldiers enough. We really take them for granted." She kissed him gently on the lips. Stiles had tears in his eyes as he put his arms around her and pulled her in close to him. He really couldn't ever remember being thanked for his service in the marines, it felt good to be appreciated, especially by the one person he cared about the most. As Lex walked back in Stiles let her go and smiled. He got ready for his sightseeing tour of Madrid.

While Jackson was listening to the bugs. They found a man in the ministry of defense who got a suspicious phone call. Terri and Lex were following where Stiles was going, on the computer. Stiles was jogging following Santiago to see where he was going. Stiles sent a picture to Terri and Lex. Stiles told them to do a face recognition on the woman.

Stiles was approached by a man who said that he had dropped his wallet. Stiles told him it wasn't his. Santiago and the girl started to walk away. Stiles was starting to follow when the man showed him a badge. He told Stiles he was with Defense Intelligence. Stiles moved the hood so that Terri and Lex could get a picture of the man.

Terri was very nervous. She didn't know who this was, or what was going to happen to Stiles. Terri and Lex just looked at each other. Lex picked up the phone and called into Langley with what they knew already. Terri stood up and started pacing.

Stiles was sitting in an interrogation room. Stiles told them he was an attorney on vacation. He saw Stiles with his transmitter, and a camera on his watch. Montes the Deputy Minister of Defense came in and asked. "Why is the CIA following one of our curriers?" He then turned and told the officer who arrested Stiles, that he should have known about the CIA and what they were doing. The man tried to defend himself by saying that he arrested him. "Keep him under arrest until he is deported." with that he walked out.

Stiles kind of chuckled. "Tough boss."

"And yours Mr. Stiles? I understand Robert Quinn is no sunny day at the beach. Is that the right expression?"

Stiles was getting mad. "I told you my name is Stewart, and I'm an attorney."

He picked up a file. "A. B. Stiles born in 1970, to a Frederick Stiles and former Hannah O'Connor. 10 years in US Marine Corp rising to the rank of Major. Left the Marine Corps 2 years ago, apparently to join the CIA."

"And you're accusing us of spying on you?" Stiles asked.

Several hours later Stiles walked back into the room that Terri and Lex were in. Terri had to fight the urge to run up and hug him she was so worried about him. "This is Colonel Obregon. He has orders to expel us from Spain immediately."

"But not just yet." Obregon said.

Stiles explained that he was spotted following Santiago because Obregon was also following Santiago. They tried to work this out. As they finished Obregon told them that he suspected the Deputy Minister Montes was involved somehow, but he was his boss, he can't investigate him, but they could. As he left he told them. "If I see you again, I will have to arrest you, but please keep me informed."

Jackson told Gage about what they had on Montes. His wife is anti-American. She has protested the treatment of Al-Queda prisoners, our policy on Iraq, and visited Afghanistan while the Taliban was still in control.

Quinn asked. "Does Mr. Montes ever bring classified work home?"

Jackson told them "He's not supposed to."

Gage looked up. "Neither am I."

After Obregon left Stiles and Terri looked at each other. She was worried about him. "Are you ok? They didn't hurt you did they?"

"I'm fine." he could tell she was still worried. "I've been through worse interrogations than that." she smiled at him. "I'll tell you about them someday."

"Glad to have you back here Stiles." Lex added. The three of them came up with a plan to get to Mrs. Montes.

Terri went to her home, and told her that someone from the embassy told her that her garden was amazing. She wanted to take pictures. Mrs. Montes was not cooperative, she didn't want her there. She noticed Terri put something under her table as she was leaving. She found the bug.

She went to the papers to say that the CIA was spying on her because she opposed their policies. They told Obregon that she was supposed to find the bug. They were hoping she would lead them to her contact.

Stiles was mad when they realized that she was using the newspapers to pass along the information. "She didn't have to go to him, he only had to read the damn paper."

They now knew it was her, but they couldn't do anything because it would only prove that the Americans were harassing her. Terri was upset and walked out of the room.

Stiles followed Terri outside. "It's my turn to ask you. Are you ok?"

"Stiles she is going to get away with this."

"No she isn't. I don't know how but we will stop her." Stiles put his arms around her and lightly kissed her forehead. "I promise Mrs. Stiles we will make the world a safer place." Terri just smiled at him. "I love you. You know that right?"

"I love you too." Terri kissed him and they both walked back into the other room.

"So" Stiles asked "What do we do now?" They all looked at each other.

The next morning Terri, Lex and Stiles were waiting around for orders from Langley. They knew that they were going to be told to leave, but Quinn was waiting until the last possible moment to give that order. Lex picked up the newspaper. "This one is good. Calls us American shrimps". Terri walked over to see it, and Lex pointed to the part of the article. "In here."

"Thugs. Gamberros means thugs".

"I thought it meant shrimps".

"In Italian."

"Oh."

Stiles walked by "Next time, Terri goes out for food." Lex sat down on the other side of the room

"You know there are probably half a dozen contacts between Mrs. Montes and the ones carrying out the attacks." Terri was trying to make Stiles see that it might not make any difference it they had gotten to her. "Even if she told us everything she knows it might not lead us anywhere."

"It would lead us somewhere. Terrorist with a knife I know what to do with him, but an overeducated high society half baked radical."

Terri interrupted him "Whose father was killed by a Spanish dictator we supported."

"Are you defending her now?" Stiles couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Explaining her. Aren't we supposed to understand our enemies."

Our enemies I understand. She is supposed to be our ally."

"Its a new world, Stiles. There's lots of shadings."

Lex joined in. "Our president says you're either with us or against us."

"Well I believe Mrs. Montes probably took exception to that remark."

Stiles threw down the paper in anger. Lex looked up surprised and Terri was startled by his anger. He was always in control. Stiles said he wanted to talk to her.

The Colonel arrested them, and brought in Mr. and Mrs. Montes. Stiles and Terri showed them the pictures of the murdered wives and children. Stiles told her they believe she is responsible for their deaths. Stiles asked her if she ever shared information.

Mrs. Montes told her husband that they couldn't believe that the pictures were real. They are the CIA after all. With that Mr. and Mrs. Montes walked out. Terri and Stiles just looked at each other.

Stiles went to see Mrs. Montes. He had to take one last chance. He showed her the picture of the terrorist. He told her that they will torture him unless she tells them what they need. "Tell me who you gave the names to."

Back at Langley Stiles, Terri, Lex, Gage, and Quinn, sat in the meeting. Montes did eventually give them the name of the reporter who she gave the list to. The FBI arrested one of the terrorists as they were trying to kill another military wife, instead it was Agent Shelton waiting for him.

After the meeting Stiles and Jackson talked about what happened. Stiles said that she only gave him the information because she believed that he would kill her and the terrorist in custody. Stiles felt bad about that. He was confused when Jackson said that they would kill Qadir's mother and sister. Jackson didn't explain. Stiles walked out of the meeting and headed home to Terri.

As he drove home he couldn't help thinking how lucky he was to have Terri to go home to. He couldn't believe how much he needed to be with her right now. All he wanted to do was hold her, and try to explain why this mission was so hard for him.